Spinal appliance



Aug. 22 1933. R. J. BARROWS 1,924,016

SPINAL APPLIANCE iiled Feb. 17, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnaw/rube la SPINAL APPLIANCE Filed Fe b. 17, 1932 2 Sheet s-Sheer. 2

HI abbozwzq Patented Aug. 22, 1933 f UNFTED- STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,924,016 l I SPINAL APPLIANCE 'Ransom J. Barrows, Jamestown, N. ApplicationF ebruary' i7, 193,2. Serial No. 593,641 I 7 cla ms.- (01. 244) j I This invention relates to ,a spinal appliance, body brace or supporting device designed to relieve or eliminate body ailments such as spinal curvature, spinal weakness. and deformities and other spinal mal-conditions. v A primary object or purpose of the invention is to produce an appliance or device; as shown, which by reason of its construction gives proper body support when worn'by a person having a weak back or other spinal trouble and serves as an aid in regaining normal health and strength and also through an extension or lifting support to that portion of-a persons body above the hips tends to straighten spinal deformities or to over:

" come any spinal mal-condition.

Another'important object is to provide an appliance of the present character well adapted to be made up and fitted according to individual cases and which employs a supporting corset with back stays to which shoulder straps and abdominal straps are connected. 1

Other objects of this invention will appear from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the drawings which formiapart thereof, in whichFigure l isa front, inside, full development of the spinal appliance;.Figure' 2 is a sectional View of theJback-stay, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 3 is a front view of the appliance and Figure 4 is a back'view of the appliance as worn; Figure 5 is an enlarged frag i sewing or otherwise as at 12.

mentary'perspective viewof one of thedetachable back-stays and the associated'parts.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 designates a spinal appliance comprising a corset body or part '7 made in two substantially similar sections 7 each having flexible or firm stays 8 of steel or other material inserted between or fas-, tened on layers of cloth or other material, the

0 ends of these stays optionallyhavingprotecting caps 9 or other material or padding 10 to prevent said ends from wearing through the coverings 11;

These at the top and bottom of the corset edges. corset stays 8- are held in position .by means of The upper and lower edges of this-corset-part are covered witha soft wool, felt or other padding 13 as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and then covered with the afore- I said webbing, cloth, or other, material ll, also sewed or fasteneda'round the edges of the corset or body part 7. Those portions ofthe appliance disposable underneath the arms of the wearer, are further covered with shields 14 to protect against the efiect of perspiration.

As best seen in Figures 1,

7' for fastening and adjustment. I

front fastening-can be effected by means of eye- ""lets and laces, or in any other manner.

stays, usually covered with cloth and bound and 4, a gusset,

recess, or loose partlf is inserted or fitted for r coacting buckles 17 secured to the other section Optionally this A novel abdominal'pad 18 is employed, being made in various sizes and shapes and of heavy canvas or other material 19 with or without by silk braid or other material 21. Buckles 26 permitting of adjustment, are attached to said pad. to which are fastened the straps of webbing or other material22, 23, 24 and 2,5, to pass around the body. These, strap ends 22, 23, 24 and 25 are aflixed to the back stays as best shown in Figure l, 2 and 5, with the opposite ends interlaced into said buckles 26 for adjustment so that the pad will give a lifting support'tothe abdomia nal region, in connection with the appliance, and also, hold the lower ends of the'backstays closely against the body of the wearer. i I

-: :Said back stays areanimportant feature and comprise two main stays of steel 28 orof other flexible or firm-material shaped to conform to the shape of the body. I Stays 28 and adjoining stays .29 are covered on. both sides by strips of strong silk-finished webbing or other material 27 and 27A. Said center stays 28 are longer than the stays 29 which are fastened to the sections 7 of the corset part. The coverings of said stays '28 have .eyelets 30 insertedalong each edge for the purpose of receiving laces 31 which serve to connect the two main back stays and for the purpose of attaching the corset parts I in a manner to allow of making certain adjustments. The two center stays 28 are usually fastened together by lacing as above but this, as wellas thev attach- 'ment of thecorset parts 7' to the back stays 28, can bedone in other manner. When the appliance is fitted to thebody of the wearer, such column. Shoulder straps stays 28 rest on opposite sides of the spinal buckles 35' attached to the back stays 28 as shown at 36 to permit of adjustment.

'32 of elastic webbing or other 1 material with-soft padding 33 affixed, are fastened to the top of back stays 28,]as shown p ar- I made up of the'stays 28 and their coverings are detachable and adjustably connected together and to the corset sections 7 that the shoulder straps 32 and straps 22, 23, 24 and"25, are attached solely thereto. The factthatltheiback stays 28 are detachable from'the corset sections 7 permits of varioussizes and shapes or corset" sections to be accommodated. 7

It will be realized that the present combination or elements gives anextension-or lifting-support to-carry-'the-weight of'the upper portion of a personsbo'dy and to overcome downward pressure-along the spine, and in the same manner to exert a tendency in the'direction of cor'rection 'of' 'anyspinaldeformity or deflection and for the benefit or eliminationof any-spinal malcond'i'tion. These resultsare due to: the coaction' of the t'orm fitting corset partclosely held against the body and coming well up under the" arms of the wearer, together 1 with the: support ing'efiect of the 'backstays along-the spinal colurn-n and in combinatiorrwithi the'straps forsnp port'of the shoulders andl'the'pad: and straps for the support of the abdoinen;

II-he embodiments of this invention have been shown: and described by' way/of example only and it is to-beunderstood that various changes may be made without departingfromi the spirit and scope ofthe followingclaims.

I claim as 'm'y invention "IJA spinal appliance-consisting:of axcorsete like body having back stay means. extending below-thebody proper an abdominal pad' -b'elow the-body, strap means connected t'oi said stay means below the lower: edge of thewbo dy proper;

strap means connected to said stay means above the lower edge of the: body proper, each-of said strapinean's supportin said padr l f2. Aspinalappliance consisting. er back" stay members adjustably connectedvtogetlrer, a corsetlike body having sections" detachably connected to said members, an abdominal pad, and supporting straps for said pad connected to said members. 7 i

3. A spinal appliance consisting of back stay members adjustably connected together,- acorsetlike body having sections connected to said members, an abdominal pad, and supporting straps for said pad connected to said 'members, above and below the lower-edges'ot the body, and shoulder straps connected to said members.

4. A spinal appliance consisting of parallel back stay members, a lacing securing said members together, a corset-like body with staying for j support, lacings for attaching-and adjusting said body on said members, an abdominal pad, said members: extending below the body part, supporting straps connected to the members below said bodyandtothe' pad and supporting straps connected to the members above the lower edge or? the body and to the pad.

5. spinal appliance consi'sting of parallelback stay members, alacing; securingz said members together, a corset-likeibody; :lacings securing. said body to: said: members; .an abdominal pad, said members extending below'said' body, supporting straps connectedi to the membersbelow the said body and -to theapadaand supporting straps connected to the membersabovethe lower" edge or the body and to: the, pacl',.:shoixl:der strapssextending from the members,andrsadjustable connections betweenf the members: the ifreei. ends of l the straps; 4 1

'61 A: spinal appliance) consisting ofapair of parallel: stayi'members, azl'acing connectingisaid members, an abdominal ".pad with supporting strapsi-for'saicl pad extending'from' said members, shoulder straps extendingirom said members, n'ieans toadjustably securetheifree ends of the shoulder straps to said :members, a corset-like body;v and meansdetachably connecting said body to said members; a

l fA-uvspmal appliance consisting of a corsetlikel'particompietely' encircling the body, an. abdominal :supporterradj acenti thei'front lower end of saidpart; straps connected-to the. lower portionof saidpaitrelatively closelto the rear median line thereof, adjustable supporting connections between said. straps .and supporter, shoulder straps;;back stay'meansandmeans' to adjustably securethe free ends" of the shoulder straps to the back stay'means. l r v RANSOMJ. BARRQ'WS. 

